Product Description

In an abandoned warehouse, a band of gangsters is splitting their latest haul, but they can't come to an agreement on the split. It's time to let the guns do the talking, and soon everyone is aiming at everyone... All you have to do is stay alive and have the most money at the end of the game!

CA$H'n GUN$ will make you relive the best scenes from gangster movies and other modern detective stories, where the flimsiest excuse serves to let bullets fly!

Fun, bluff and negotiations are to be had. Thing is, do you have enough guts to play?

Product Reviews

The funniest most awkward thing I have ever seen was the first
two seconds of this game.

I explained the rules to everyone and the game starts with a
count of 1....2.....3! And everyone points their gun at who the
wish to scare/shoot.

Here is where the fun lies. Quick deals, misunderstandings and
revenge all take a hand in who you want to shoot, but the real
question is why do people want to shoot you? That first second
where you and your friends all point orange foam guns at each
other is the funniest thing ever.

The game is fantastic and funny and moves at a nice pace. The
rules are easy and you can pick it up your first time. Each time
you play, your strategy will get a little more detailed.

I almost passed on this one during the Spiel in Essen. In fact, I
didn’t even look at it until very late, and that was only by
invitation from the folks at Repos Productions. The talk was that
the game was fun, but quite silly. I figured I’d pass and
concentrate on more “serious” games.

After playing, though, I was happy I’d taken the time. Yes, the
game is certainly silly, with only a smidgen of tactics involved.
The central mechanism is one of bluff, and deciding whether to
remain in a round and risk being shot, or dropping out and
incurring shame penalties. Quite simply, it is a game I shouldn’t
like … but I do. Why? Well, plain and simple, it is fun. There is
ample opportunity to ham-it-up and role-play your character, and
there is something wickedly fun about aiming those foam rubber
guns at your opponents!

The theme is not unlike that found in Parker Brothers’ Don Pepe:
gangsters are brought together to split the loot. Being
gangsters, however, greed takes over, and soon there is a
series of threats and shootings as every gangster aims to grab
the most money. The trick is to not only survive the chaos, but to
make it out with the largest share of the loot.

Each player receives a life-size foam rubber revolver, eight bullet
cards, and a stand-up cardboard caricature of their character. As
mentioned, these characters give the players ample opportunity
to role-play. You can put on your thickest Mexican accent with El
Toro, your gangster attitude with Huggy, or even your sultry
voice with Lotus. Sadly, though, the characters don’t really have
any unique powers or abilities, even when playing with the
variants.

Each round, five cash tokens, ranging in values from $5,000 -
$20,000, will be revealed. Each player then secretly places one
of his cards face-down onto the table. The cards are central to
the game, as they determine if a player is bluffing, or actually
shooting at an opponent. Each player possesses an identical set
of cards: five “click” cards, two “bangs”, and one “triple bang”.

Once all cards are played, at the count of “three”, every player
instantly points his revolver at an opponent. This always results
in some chuckles and laughter as players assess who is aiming
at whom. Fear not, though, as all players will have the
opportunity to take cover and opt out of the current round. After
the guns are pointed and everyone has a chance to assess the
situation, another count of “three” is conducted. Anyone feeling
the odds are stacked against them in the current round can then
take cover, indicating this by knocking over their character
token. While this will save a player from possibly being shot, it
doesn’t allow him to save face. Flinching when staring down the
barrel of a gun is shameful, and the cowardly players receive a
shame marker, which ultimately deducts $5,000 from the player’s
ultimate end-game total.

After the cowardly players have withdrawn and their cards are
discarded unrevealed, the remaining players must face the
music. If anyone played a “triple bang” card, their target
opponent is gunned-down, suffers a wound, and is knocked out
of the round. If a player suffers three wounds, he is out of the
game. The remaining players then reveal their cards. Players
who were the target of a bang suffer a wound and are likewise
knocked out of the round. “Click” cards have no effect. Any
surviving players discard their cards and divide the loot amongst
themselves.

Here’s the rub, though: the money must be divided evenly.
Since the denominations are $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000,
occasionally the money will not be able to be divided evenly. If
this occurs, the money remains in the pile until the next round,
when five new cards are added to the pot. Otherwise, surviving
players take their equal share and add it to their stash.

Players then repeat this procedure seven more times until all
players have depleted their stash of cards. Surviving players
tally their total cash, and subtract $5,000 for each shame marker
they have collected. The gangster who successfully grabbed the
most loot is victorious and the envy of the underworld.

Several variants are included with the game, including advanced
rules, which give each player a “super” power. Each player
receives a special card which can be played at any time. There
are ten potential powers which grant a variety of abilities,
including increased stamina, bonuses for exterminating
gangsters, or the ability to choose your target after everyone
else. There is also the “insane gangster”, who carries a grenade
and wounds all gangsters still standing that round. Ouch. These
powers are fun, but some are considerably more powerful than
others. This can be a bit unsatisfying if folks take the game too
seriously.

The game is one of bluff and guesswork; did that gangster
aiming his gun at you play a “click” card, or is he really going to
shoot you? It is also one of playing the odds and risk
assessment. You might be willing to take a chance if only one
gangster is aiming at you, but if two or three gangsters have you
in their sights, is it prudent to remain in the round and chance
receiving multiple wounds? It may well be if the potential “take”
is rich.

Since bullet cards are discarded face-down if a player withdraws
from a round or is shot by a “triple” bang, card counting is not
completely accurate. Usually, you cannot be 100% sure of the
identity of the cards remaining in a player’s hand, so you must be
content with taking calculated risks.

But lest you think the game has a hidden layer of strategy or
depth to it, don’t be fooled: it doesn’t. It is truly a light game
that allows players to get into their character, point toy guns at
each other, and act silly. Sometimes silly can be, well, just too
silly. Other times, however, it can be fun. Cash ‘N Guns provides
the latter: good, silly fun.

Other Resources for Ca$h'n Gun$:

Board Game Geek is an incredible compilation of information about board and card games with many descriptions, photographs, reviews, session reports, and other commentary.